


Mushrooms In The Basement

by Lilith_Child



Category: Young Man's Fancy (1952)
Genre: 1950's, I Blame Youtube, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Secret Relationship, Sharing a Bed, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-10
Updated: 2015-07-10
Packaged: 2018-04-08 15:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4310730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lilith_Child/pseuds/Lilith_Child
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>From downstairs, he can hear the sound of Alex’s favorite classical record playing. He smiles. Alex likes modern music much more than classical piano. He just doesn’t want to dance with Judy, Bob knows. He heads downstairs.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>He might as well practice his waltz.<i></i></i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>
    <i>Bob brings Alex home for the weekend. His sister tries to seduce him.</i>
  </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mushrooms In The Basement

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing, and all mistakes are mine.
> 
> I did no research on this, so if there's anything period-atypical, please tell me.
> 
> Original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uMLVRWwEg8

They sleep together in the same room - the same bed. Mother doesn’t ask, and Bob doesn’t offer. He thinks that they’re pushing their luck when they shower together, but when the two of them go downstairs, no one seems to suspect anything out of the ordinary, especially Judy. 

Judy!

Bob had forgotten what she was like while he was away at college. He almost feels sorry for her, going after Alex like that. 

Almost.

The other part of him is just jealous, and really, that’s stupid. Alex would never leave him for Judy, just like Bob would never leave Alex for any girl.

But still - he’s insecure. Alex knows it, and he invites him to a lecture. It’s about growing mushrooms under artificial conditions, but Bob declines. He knows Alex is trying to cheer him up, but still…mushrooms? Really?

They spend more time together than they usually would in their apartment, ironically enough. Normally, they have classes at opposite times, Alex has lectures and work, and Bob also has work. Then, they both have studying. Sometimes, the only times that Bob will see Alex during the week is five minutes at a time, before sleep and after waking up.

But now, just when they can’t express their love for each other, they have all the time in the world. It’s not fair, Bob thinks, and then he laughs. Nothing’s fair about this. 

Nothing’s fair about the fact that he can’t just tell Judy to lay off without having to tell her why. Nothing’s fair about the fact that he knows that his father would kick him out of the house if he even thought that Bob was having homosexual thoughts, much less acting on them. Nothing’s fair about the fact that he could only ever have met Alex in a bar, no matter what his life was like.

Bob shakes his head to clear it. There’s no use in dwelling on these thoughts. They won’t do any good.

From downstairs, he can hear the sound of Alex’s favorite classical record playing. He smiles. Alex likes modern music much more than classical piano. He just doesn’t want to dance with Judy, Bob knows. He heads downstairs.

He might as well practice his waltz.

—

His father and sister are sitting in the living room. His father is smoking a pipe while reading the newspaper, and Judy is sitting on the couch in a new dress, a put-out expression on her face. “Aren’t you going to dance, Judy?” Bob asks her.

“Oh, shut up!” she snaps at him.

“There’s no need to be rude, Judy-pie,” he tells her. He hasn’t used her old nickname in years, but it has the desired effect.

Her face turns red, and she runs out of the room.

Bob turns to Alex. “Well, since it seems that your dance partner has run off, how about a dance, m’lady?” He gives an exaggerated bow, and Alex gives a him an odd cross between a bow and a curtsey back. They make sure to keep the mood playful enough to distract Bob’s father. 

Bob doesn’t know where his mother is. Probably in the kitchen, he thinks.

She’s been in love with it ever since they moved in.

Alex does the female steps, and he makes sure to stumble enough to make it look like he isn’t used to doing that part. He is, though. He’s been doing the female steps ever since their first date out dancing.

As they dance, his father leaves the room, newspaper evidently read. Less careful, then, they press slightly closer. They are moving faster now, onto a different song, and when Alex looks into his eyes, he doesn’t stumble at all.

The record ends soon after, and as they come back to themselves, Bob realizes his mother is standing in the doorway to the kitchen, and she’s watching them.

They drop their hands quickly. “Mom!” Bob exclaims.

At the same time, Alex says, “Mrs. Adams!”

She smiles, tiredly, at them. “Oh, boys.”

It looks like it’s all she can think to say. At least she isn’t screaming, Bob thinks. They stand there together, hands still almost entwined. The living room is silent. They face off, and finally, she lets out a breath.

“Does your father know?”

“No,” Bob and Alex answer at the same time.

“Good,” she says. “Make sure he doesn’t find out.” Then she turns and walks into the kitchen.

The two of them look at each other, and they both let out a sigh. It went better, much better, than Bob could have ever hoped for, but still—. It would be nice to have been accepted.

Well, at least his mother wasn’t Judy.

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me what you think in the comments!


End file.
